The Organic & Non-GMO Report Newsletter

United Nations hits the brakes on gene drives

Landmark Convention on Biological Diversity decision calls on governments to conduct strict risk assessments and seek indigenous and local peoples’ consent ahead of potential release of “exterminator” technology. The UN recently made a significant global decision on how to govern a high-risk, new genetic engineering technology—gene drives. “This important decision puts controls on gene drives […]

Experts agree: New GMOs can be detected

A French scientist and other experts rebut claims that genome-edited products cannot be distinguished from natural products, and thus cannot be detected or regulated GMO proponents lobbying for lax regulation of genetically modified plants and animals produced with “new GM” techniques, including genome editing, argue that living organisms naturally contain many mutations (DNA damage), making […]

Scientists have “hacked photosynthesis” in search of more productive crops

Photosynthesis, the process through which plants take in carbon dioxide and produce food using energy from the sun, has been working well to support life on Earth for quite some time. The protein Rubisco plays a key function, that scientists from the University of Illinois are focused on repairing. “It has what we like to […]

Paper claiming “extreme” GMO opponents are ignorant contains many flawed assumptions

A new survey labels GM food opponents ignorant extremists. Claire Robinson asks whether the evidence stands up A new paper published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour claims that people who are most opposed to genetically modified foods actually know the least. But a closer look by Claire Robinson of GM Watch reveals many flaws […]

Dicamba damage to honeybee forage threatens beekeeper livelihoods

Drift from the weedkiller dicamba, in vogue again because Roundup has created resistant “superweeds,” has damaged thousands of crop acres—among them, American buckwheat, a critical food source for honeybees. Beekeepers are being forced to close their businesses or relocate. “This dicamba is the absolute worst problem we’ve ever had,” said Ray Nabors, a 40-year beekeeper […]